Workers in the automotive department at a Wal-Mart in Colorado are attempting to unionize:
LOVELAND, Colo. - In a move that has been unsuccessful elsewhere in the United States, 17 workers at a Wal-Mart Tire & Lube Express have taken the first step to unionize at the world's largest retailer.
The National Labor Relations Board planned a hearing Thursday to consider the workers' request to be represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7.
"Wal-Mart workers don't have to be second-class citizens," said Ernest Duran Jr., president of the union, which also represents more than 17,000 grocery workers at King Soopers, Safeway and Albertsons stores.
Union officials argue the workers in the automotive service department are separate from the store and eligible for independent union representation. Wal-Mart officials disagree.
"With approximately 400 associates in that particular facility, we feel that more than 17 associates should have a say on such an important matter," said Christi Gallagher, a spokeswoman for Bentonville, Ark-based Wal-Mart.
Wal-Mart said it treats its workers fairly and has an open door policy that lets each negotiate directly with management.
"Our associates see they don't have to pay hard earned money to do what they can do every day," she said.
The union is in negotiations with the Colorado grocery stores, which have cited competition from nonunion discount chains such as Wal-Mart in offering wage and benefit increases that have been rejected by workers.
Efforts to unionize Wal-Mart stores in the United States have failed, while in Canada, a government agency this year certified workers at a Quebec store as a union and told the two sides to negotiate. Wal-Mart has said it may have to close that store.
In the United States, the closest a U.S. union ever came to representing Wal-Mart workers happened in 2000. Eleven members of the store's meatpacking department at Jacksonville, Texas, store voted to be represented by the UFCW.
In a move it said was unrelated to the union vote, Wal-Mart eliminated the job of meatcutter company-wide, and announced it would only sell pre-cut, pre-wrapped meat.
The workers were offered other jobs at the store.
Posted by Bob on November, 30 2004 at 06:35 PM
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CLARK wrote:Best of luck to everyone in Colo..
All of us here in Texas are rooting for you. Hopefully we will be next in line. This is so much BS about the open door policy.
The policy is "if ya dont like the way we operate, then hit the door".
Better wages.. Yeah right.!! Answer: "you are where you need to be"
Give me a break.
Think Christy Galagher needs to change her drugs if she really believes what she says. !!-- November 30, 2004 10:56 PM ∞
David wrote:Wal-Mart workers start a national union authorization card signing campaign,and dont ever give up. The Jonquiere,Canadian Wal-Mart store is a Union store right now. Tire and lube workers at seven other Wal-Mart stores in Canada have filed for union cerification. China has demanded that Unions be placed in Wal-Mart locations in that country. A union is coming to a Wal-Mart store near you, sign on.
-- December 1, 2004 03:46 AM ∞
CCUCEO wrote in Something Wall-Mart This Way Comes:Last night or the night before I was watching episode 809 of Southpark. It's called Something Wall-Mart This Way Comes. Wal-mart's an interesting store. I love that they don't outsource their IT department.
-- December 1, 2004 02:53 PM ∞
weezilwuv wrote:At previous jobs i had they to had the "Open Door" policy. You make any waves they open the door for you. Union or not i would LOVE to have at least a income i can simply exsist on. Since i worked for WM i lost almost 60 pounds . With my income food is a luxery . I just pray for a liveable wage. GO GUYS! hope ya do it. I'm gettin' right hungry.
-- December 3, 2004 08:27 AM ∞
Kevin Brancato wrote:Wait a sec. You can't afford food, yet you can afford an SBC internet account?
-- December 3, 2004 01:30 PM ∞
Chris wrote:Jobs are like women. If you don't like the one you have go get another. The union is like your friend that holds the woman down so you can get what ever you want from her regardless of whether its in anyone else's interest. Union members are like the guy who complains about the woman he has that treats him poorly but is too stupid to find another woman that would treat him better.
WM employee that loses his job because the union is voted in deserves what he gets.
-- December 10, 2004 02:10 PM ∞
Roy W. Wright wrote:"You can't afford food, yet you can afford an SBC internet account?"
Who'll bet me that s/he doesn't also have cable TV and a decent car? Hooray for the entitlement society!
-- December 15, 2004 03:52 AM ∞
